Screams 'n Smiles

Both girls are growing up quick. This week was a bit of a milestone: Ava Gray is starting to smile for real:

And Havyn is learning to scream. Short, high pitched, thrilling sounds. She's also learned to mimic her sister's gagging sound. She's figured out both get quite a bit of attention. Funny girl : )

And tho it doesn't look like it here, both girls are lovin being together. Every time Havyn reaches out to Ava Gray, AG just grins away. Love.

Hospital Activities

Even within the confines of the PICU walls, life does go on. Here's a peek at life at Vandy. While we're there we:

Get to meet some really neat nurses (Sarah-Beth here was our night RN, and a specific answer to one of my mom's prayers - so sweet to Ava Gray!):

Get to stay up...a lot:

Are visited and loved on by our dear friends:

Get to try out state-of-the-art equipment (is she not totally Top Gun-ing it here? She'd just gotten out of a really loud MRI. I asked if I could keep the "ear muffs" as she looked so stinkin cute):

And, by God's amazing grace, we get to come back HOME (these pics are from a few minutes ago... and the girls are still snoozin! So much sleep to catch up on. Aren't they precious girls?):

Two Sleeping Girls...at HOME

Dear Friends,

Around 6pm last night, we were finally discharged from the hospital. The girls have celebrated this by sleeping for 7 hours straight (the hospital wears us girls out!), and then waking up briefly to eat some breakfast and fall back asleep for another 3 (and counting!). I so needed that sleep, and God knew it. Thank you Father : ) 

The latest news re: Ava Gray is that we've discontinued her daily aspirin (with bleeding in the head, they didn't think it was the best idea), but don't see any reason to intervene or change anything else up at this time. We're just keeping a close eye on her like always, and if anything seems off, we'll head back in. (Of course, we also have a slew of follow-up appointments in the next few weeks). They still don't know why that bleed happened. The vomiting was never figured out either (they think it may just be the acid reflux and not related to the bleed in the brain). I'm thankful, though, that we got out without another surgery, that we get to d/c one more medication for a while, and that we can now look into some more natural ways to help her tummy heal up.

Thanks for going through this with us and participating in the healing of Ava Gray through your love & prayers!

Hear my girls a-stirrin...Gotta run!

Jules

(Included a few pics of the girls before we headed in to the hospital this time. It was so fun for us to be with our UB & AJ!)

ER Visit #2

Dear Friends,

Yes, we're back at Vandy. Ava Gray started having some serious vomiting & was just not herself. Plus her fontanel increased quite a bit in a 10 hour period. So after checking with her pediatrician, we headed into the children's ER around 7 this morning. After they ran another "shunt series" (X-rays & MRI), they discovered two things. One, her shunt is working wonderfully (the ventricles in her head are definitely smaller). Two: she has blood in her brain. They don't know why. Two possible reasons though. One, if there had been any trauma (I've racked my brain, I don't think she's been jostled, dropped or had any other jolts/bumps/falls). Two, the shunt could have worked so well initially that it actually pulled some of her brain away from her skull. They're kind of thinking it's the second. It sounds crazy, right? But it's not the worst thing. We just have to spend the night in the PICU (pediatric ICU) for the night and then we'll do the shunt series again in the morning. If she "passes" then we get to go home!

We're well taken care of right now. He has allowed both girls to have really good days in the midst of this. And when Ava Gray had to be stuck for her IV, they got it on the first try. That is incredible for her. (She's usually a 5+ stick gal). I've also had a restful day (big quiet dark room in the ER) : )

Thanks for the love & prayers!

Jules & the Girls

(The vomiting issue is going to be addressed as soon as we leave Vandy - more on that later!)

Sleepy Saturday's

A new record was set last night: Mama Jules got 6 consecutive hours of sleep. This makes everything feel...brighter....better. The girls are also taking turns napping, but managed to get some sister time in:

Now that I think about it, Havyn's been the sleeper for most of the day. Ava Gray is just wide awake and telling me all about how stuff should be done. I'm loving it. It's so good to hear her insistent little noises, that are so very different from her "I'm-in-pain" noises. Even as I write this she is talking about how the food is just not coming fast enough. (I know, I know! The pump is running, you just can't feel it yet, I tell her) Isn't she a cutie?

Although you wouldn't know it by looking at her today, Havyn got her groove on this past week and has started scooching and rolling her way all over the floor (and already finding ways to get into things I'd rather she didn't!) Here's a few of little H from these past few days:

And now said little H is up from her nap, and making a few "insistent noises" of her own. Mama's (relatively) quiet time is now over. Back to the babies! : )

Girls a-Growin...

I know, I know. All babies do it. But it still a little miracle to wake up in the morning, peer into your daughters faces, and to realize they look different (and can do more!) than they did & could the day before. Here's some pics of my girls. Growin.....

The girls got this cute (and absolutely truthful) top in the mail from their Auntie Da. Ava Gray could barely squeeze into it for this one-time photo op. I didn't even try with Havester.... : )

Have's loves her some Tigger....

Couldn't catch her not in motion. Love it!

Finga-flavor... (Her fave)

Gettin stuff done...

During "tummy time" (All 2 minutes of it) : )

Speaking of tummies: the girls love to show theirs off. Someday we'll have to curtail that, but for now it's just adorable.

Other favorite activity: trying to stuff ones entire fist into ones mouth. No really, it's fun! Try it... : ) Also, PS. My favorite outfit of all time pictured here. It said it was a 6 month garment. I waited, and waited, and waited. And eagerly put in on the other day to find....it was too small for those chubby little thighs. (Noooo!) Love the thighs, though. : )

More tummy-time. And teething (aka "drooling up a storm")

And my sweet girl just a-hangin. Checkin things out. Love-Love-Love!

More soon.

♥Mama Jules & the Girls